Comments on: Long Term Fitness Results (or lack thereof) With Personal Training Clients

By: Jana

Jana — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:19:16 +0000

Maybe the answer here is a “maintenance” program. We could offer a package where we can meet with them every two months to offer a fresh set of measurements and some guidance on program updates, review nutrition principles, find out what isn’t working, etc. We could include it in a package for $XX.00, you get the “stick with it” (I”m sure you’ll come up with a spiffier name than that…) program; we meet once every two months for the next 12 months to help insure progress.

By: Kevin Hensel

Kevin Hensel — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:12:57 +0000

Wow, I find it amazing some trainers haven’t experienced this before. I can only think 1) They haven’t been a trainer for very long 2) once their client leaves they never come back 3) the trainer is delusional. I’m sure all the trainers on this blog provide their clients with a tremendous amount of information and tools about living a healthy lifestyle. You can provide the most awesome tools in the world but if the client doesn’t take advantage of them it is not the responsibility of the trainer. However trainers are not completely innocent. We as personal trainers need to be aware of this, and take action by having options/services in place that address it. It is also a trainer’s responsibility to keep communicating with your ex-clients letting them know you are still there if they fall off the wagon. The VIP Exit Campaign is really awesome. Lifelong fitness results is such a complex, complicated process and unles we all get Phd’s in psychology it will continue to be a factor in all of our businesses. It is our job to inspire and motivate, but we have limitations as with any profession. In summary I believe it is 90% a clients responsibility and 10% a trainers responsibility. I love all the posts.

By: Kennett Washington

Kennett Washington — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:51:48 +0000

Responsibility is the key word here,it is not the trainers responsibility to hold the clients hand ever waken moment of the day. Yea… we all want to see that client through to success forever, but at some point even the mother Eagle will kick the baby eagles out the nest. Everyone and I do mean everyone at some point will have to spread their wings and fly solo. Think about it… if Sean and Eric gave us a marketing tool, a tool which they constantly teach,and preach to us lead generation and direct response marketing. Something that they have been doing with me since 2007. If they drill the facts,proven and tested applications behind it, with the end result being that it works. Now,on the other hand lets say I went out as a small business owner and decided to do brand marketing or some s***. Something totally opposite of what they have been drilling me with for the last 24 months. As a end result I fail horrible on the marketing side of my business. I waist lots of money because I choose not to use the education,teaching and systems that was provided to me before hand. Would I blame Sean and Eric for my failures? I think not the responsibility soley falls in my hands as the business owner. You see Ladies and Gents we provide the client with the tools and systems to live a healther life style. Now I agree as trainers we should lead them back to the waters that gave them new life. In the end it is the clients choice. As one of my great comedians once said, “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drank”

By: keith

keith — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:38:47 +0000

I have been thinking a lot about this same issue recently- and I think the answer is keeping the clients in touch with their “why”. Losing a few kgs or keeping the same fitness is not so much a motivator as being aware of what that fitness allows them to do, how it makes them feel and how it impacts their life.

It would be great to hear other peoples experiences on how to implement this- especially for long term clients who have come through a transformation program who are now in small group programs.

Obviously regular focus sessions, goal setting (a new bhag is much more compelling than just maintaining) what time/cost efficient implementation formats have been giving you success?

By: Temecula Personal Trainer

Temecula Personal Trainer — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:15:50 +0000

Most of my clients train because they know they need the accountability. They will not do what needs to be done on their own, even if hey know what to do and how to do it, they just don’t do it on their own. Even if they’ve gotten great results, maintaining on their own is difficult without that regular guidance. That’s why I like to keep in touch with previous clients. Many of them have returned after backsliding on their own.

By: katie campbell

katie campbell — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:14:04 +0000

I liked the post & the comments. I think their all valid & communicating is key, even if payment isn’t in hand. E-mails & phone calls to let clients know we care, counts!

By: Chuck Kaplan

Chuck Kaplan — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:10:29 +0000

A reversion to old habits means that something made those old habits more acceptable to thye client. I agree that as Trainers we need to educate and inform. We need to teach our clients how to become their own trainer…it should never be about you.

If the goal is achieved over the 3 to 6+ months, that is a celebration event. So celebrate it with a “gift” to the client of a whole new exercise program specifically designed for maintenance of the achieved goals. This new program should shorter – it should take about 2/3 of the time per session as the earlier series of sessions, it should always have a feel good stretch period at the end of the session, and it needs to be presented as a ‘parting gift’ that will work only if it is monitored and updated periodically (every 3-4 weeks).
This “gift” program should thus give you, the Trainer, another couple of training session revenue appointments, and a potential for ongoing maintenance appointments. Sounds like a win-win.

The “showing up” part – where the client comes to the gym with the same regularity as before – is something we need to stress. I say each client get 50 “points” for showing up, and what they do with the other 50 “points” is up to them.

By: Maggie

Maggie — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:55:19 +0000

I’ve had “lifers” for years! Most of them are seniors, and their fitness goals run the gamut just like the rest of us. The difference between the “lifers” and the others that just come and go, I think, is two-fold: they recognize their need for accountability, and they enjoy the social reinforcement of seeing their friends (and me!) at the gym.

By: Ginette Kitchener

Ginette Kitchener — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:04:59 +0000

Every week I put a great inspirational quote on the board where the members come in. In the gym and office (they have to pass through the office to get into the gym)I have bulletin boards filled with information on healthy lifestyles. In my circuit training area every week I write a new short blurb that targets something specific about their health. I’ve found short form of information is more easily remembered. Throughout the gym are posters on the body, exercises and training ideas. When I teach I always make sure they understand the message I’m teaching them. I email them the most current information on health issues. Life sometimes has a way of interrupting our good intentions but I’m sure they do remember what I’ve taught them. By keeping in touch with all of my current and past clients through emails it helps them to stay connected. When they are ready they’ll hopefully come back to the trainer who hasn’t given up on them. For some people it takes more time to instill this lifestyle such as trying to stop a bad habit i.e. smoking. For those who don’t succeed, we can only hope the teachings will stay with them and eventually guide them back on track. A cheer for all those hard working Personal Trainers!
Ginette

By: Tim Rudd

Tim Rudd — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:39:15 +0000

It’s happened to me. Unfortunatley we can’t hold our clients by the hand 24-7. I’ve as always have given my clients everything to be successful.

There is a whole mental approach to fitness, just like running a buisness. If our clients self image is less than optimal they will always self sabotage themselves.

Its a very small percentage, but unless you live with your clients and cook all there meals for them,brought them up from childhood, controlled all their stresses etc.. then you’re not responsible for their lack of effort and dedication.

We as trainers poor our hearts into our clients success, some just don’t get the whole life committment thing, or just can’t dedicate their lives to health, sometimes it’s just not as important as their vices.

I give books like psyhocybergenics and I’m available unconditionally for them to call and email me for support to help them with the mental approach to achieving and maintaining goals. The take action and to continue to take action is 90% on their shoulders if not more.

Again this is a very small percentage and some do come back because they realize they just can’t do it on their own. The ones that don’t, probably just don’t want it bad enough yet or maybe never.